Luka feels very properly rated. The only pushback I ever see is putting him over SGA/Jokic/Giannis.

Calling him the fourth or fifth best player in the world, but not in the argument for #1 seems very fair. Dirk was rated very similarly in his prime.

I think coaches are also biased, just in different ways. SVG was on Lowe’s podcast at one point this season and said he thought Luka was a better offensive player than Jokic, but that Jokic was still BITW bc of rebounding.

His reasoning for Luka was similar to Carlisle’s here, really focusing on the diversity of Luka’s skills. He has the pnr game, a post game, the iso scoring, with every pass in the book, size, strength and that handle which is so anomalous for a 6’8” frame. iirc he almost explicitly saw through the lens of how difficult the gameplan against Luka is to build, which isn’t actually a metric for impact. The gameplan for Shaq is trivially easy in comparison, and then Shaq went through it like it was a wet paper bag. (Unrelated note, that probably helped Shaq because having the creativity to go small would have been very successful).

The coaches are more concerned with “what can I do with this player” than what the impact metrics say, or the theoretical downsides of extreme ball dominance, or the rigidity of players with 0 off ball impact. The Mavs analytics guys who were pushing to trade Luka had good arguments, and Carlisle has good arguments. I do think it’s relevant that Dirk’s teams did a lot more winning than Luka’s. The same factors that lead to this assessment of Luka cut the other way for Dirk, and color the perception of both their on court results. Tons of factors go into that and it’s (inevitably) stupid to be judging Luka when he’s playing for a team not built around him, but I still think it’s fair to acknowledge the tradeoffs in Luka’s game and lean Dirk. That kind of shooting from a 7 footer is just nuts.

Two great offensive players with forgettable defense where one is a guard and another is a big. Not exactly puzzling to understand why Rick feels this way when PGs control the game more and you want great defense from your bigs at least.

Casuals don’t even watch games, they see highlights at most and then get their opinions from talking heads on espn

Absolutely not. This is a very bad take.

The guy can do everything. The complaints and lack of effort on defense are really his only flaws in a league where everyone complains and few stars play defense. This has been the status quo for stars for over a decade and a half.

He needs to stop fighting with the refs but that aside, the guy is a stud and I know many casuals who love him.

Why do you think his trade was national news?

Just send them a sample of his passing and casuals will be amazed. Don’t be lying.

Ask Minnesota and OKC and Kawhi and the Clippers how much whining and easy defense they saw in 2024 as a 5 seed never having home court. This guy singly handed won games and demolished his opponents doing the same things he’s doing this year. He obliterated his opponents in the most important games so far, aside from Lou Dort injuring him intention in the semis the finals would have been much more competitive.

Wait until May, that is Luka’s best basketball.

Right now the guy is also at a personal low point, I can’t imagine a divorce during the season is something anyone can handle and be 100% locked in.

Because tbh last night his defense wasn’t bad and as the year has gone on his defense has continued to improve but you’d come here and you’d think he was two planks connected out there. Had 3 steals last night with several blocks. Is Luka all defense? nah? But you can definitely tell when he isn’t complaining he’s been putting in more effort. Been attacking the passing lanes a lot as a gamble, been contesting shots specifically especially ones closer to the rim. He can do it. He just has to consistently choose to do it and complain less. Dirk wasn’t some defensive guru and ppl love Dirk.

Though, you’d come here and you’d think he was just standing around on defense out there or standing next to the ref talking.

What all of you need to call out is the atrocious team building around Luka. His defense isn’t even that bad, but putting 3-4 guys around him who are also mid in defense or just one-way players are comical.

Both the teams Luka has been on have said your point exactly. Need to get into “championship” shape I believe reddick called it. His Dallas stuff has been widely reported. What Luka can do on the offensive end is special when he has the ball. His flaws (leads league in turnovers, defense, bitching, injuries) are just as well known. Offense is the focus.

The Game 2 comeback might be my favourite sports memory, possibly even ahead of the game 6. Sounds stupid, but there was zero hope and momentum going for Dallas with like 5 minutes left and I don’t think they would’ve recovered from 0:2

What a brilliant moment. I’ll never forget it.

Dirk put his team on his back offensively, obviously it was special and they had a hard run

That is not the point, the point is it took over a decade and a team that was tailor made to hide his weaknesses, also the Dallas team gets underrated now and people act like he carried scrubs, Jason Terry had all multiple all star level series where he caught on fire

Absolute facts, that championship ring has blood stains on it.

He even had a “flu game” which helps the whole run narrative

Its not even arguable, he’s got the hardest run by a good margin when you factor in who he beat on the way to the finals too

Dirk’s team wasn’t just some rag tagged either but if he didn’t went unconscious, the Heat would have had another ring.

I watched every game live and that high arching rainbow three is forever seared into my eye, I have never seen a shot like that before it felt forever before it came down, felt like it was going to hit the roof of the arena lol

Of course, exaggerating for the readers to imagine but that shot felt like a trick shot more than an actual shot.

he shot 40% in the finals lol, this exaggerated hero-talk is SO weird. he didn’t carry anybody on defense nor as a playmaker/passer

if bron plays average then dirk gets no ring. Wade outplayed him in both finals lol, just on offense

Wish we had gotten to see more of Luka, Kyrie and Klay playing together.

It wasn’t exactly competitive though .

He absolutely sucks defensively lol. Stats and eye test both prove it.

He does, tho, and that shouldn’t really he contested much.

Now, is he as bad as many suggest? No, but he’s not particularly that good either

“Perfect defensive team”

This narrative is so stupid. Literally every superstar needs a good team around them - the Mavs lacked that from ‘08-2010. Even then Dirk won 67 games with Devean George playing like 22 mpg on 50% true shooting lol.

What even is that take? Dirk was far from elite on defense but saying he just sucked to try to force some point about Luka is insane.

fair but also, in no order

1 sga 2 j dub 3 chet 4 hart 5 caruso 6 cason 7 dort 8 mitchell

are all above him.

so he’d be battling for 9th man minutes w/ i joe (41% from 3), mccain, and k williams (41% from 3)

just checked and okc’s last rotation player, kenrich williams, has a combined 4 points (in 27 minutes) in his last three games

He’s a bad defender man

What’s the point of even denying it

Your defense is definitely better tho ur all over this thread. Elite scrambling keep up good work 🫡

No I agree. He’s capable on defense because he’s not 6’ 180 lbs. It’s a question of whether he wants to expend the effort though

Yeah he’s great. Could be even better. Look at his usage rates.

My guess is I’m getting downvoted by 11 year olds that weren’t alive to see Dirk play lmao. Zero real basketball players on earth would be upset at that statement.

Wrong lol

Won’t disagree with any of this. Always loved Dirk

It’s not pathetic. It’s reality. It’s development. It’s personality. It’s character.

And foremost, it’s nothing new or unknown.

Dirk had and has that. Will, character, development, dedication etc etc etc. Dirk showed all that.

I’m thankful for what Luka did and achieved but reality was back than and is now what I’ve said before. His mindset is his weakness. His talent is what got him here in first place.